Live and Let Live
by Spring Zephyr
Summary: Shams cares about his bodyguard. Taj cares back. It only seems to worry one of them...


**It helps if you can read between the lines. This story is meant to be more psychological than explicit though...**

It wasn't as private as Shams would have liked – the setting sun leaked through the window, highlighting their figures in gold, and it still wasn't dark enough for anyone to _not_ see them, should someone happen to be walking past for whatever reason. Taj would've argued that such a person would only see a silhouette. Shams would have replied that Taj shouldn't have picked a room with windows in the first place, because his reputation as prince required meticulous handling.

In fact, it might have been better if Taj never initiated anything at all, cold as it sounded. Shams had more reasons than just pride and humiliation that he had for not wanting to get caught.

The rustling of clothes seemed louder than it should have while Shams cynically anticipated the sound of footsteps coming down the hall at any time now... The longer they didn't, the more worried he felt, and with each second stretching on until they felt like full minutes, and his mind began to run out of things to preoccupy itself with. He had the boy of his dreams standing in front of him right now, but, no, that was currently the cause of all his problems. Shams seemed to have forgotten all the ones related to the Mage Lord's court and his daily life and even the ongoing war in favor of the ones he had right now.

Taj couldn't have picked a worse time to offer this, but Shams also couldn't say no.

"You think it's the worst time every time..." Taj mutters, stooping low, but, of course, Shams knows that he would stop if either of them weren't really serious about doing this. Shams appreciates his concern, because he knows it's there, knows it's only because Taj thinks this will alleviate his stress in some way. He actually suspects that his bodyguard would be a lot more asexual without him – Taj doesn't appear to have much interest in anyone else, and Shams thinks he knows him better than anyone, thinks he would know if he did. It both appeases Shams and only worries him more.

"I only worry about getting caught," the prince reiterates. "There are a lot of things to worry about in this..."

They go through this often. Taj usually wins in the end, though Shams isn't sure if it's because his mind lets him or if it's because his body does. At this point in time he's still incapable of even saying the word "relationship", so perhaps it is a little of both.

He loves this boy so much though, loves Taj like he never thought was possible, but the stress and the constant weighs him down. And Taj is normally so reasonable, but then they have moments like these – to an extent Shams prefers it this way, not just for the benefits to himself but because he would be far more worried if Taj didn't occasionally act for himself. Their relationship largely consists of being doting and doted on, and although Shams dotes on him in his own personal way as well, Taj is far more the subservient one here. It's as if Taj's whole world rotates around him, something which Shams appreciates but also frets over, and he often feels like he spends far more time on the latter. He spends a lot of time on the latter these days, and not just with Taj but with everything.

"The first time we'll get caught, we'll claim to your father that it was an experiment," Taj replied. He had a plan for everything. Even if it was an awkward and embarrasing plan that Shams had doubts about working, it was a plan. "But-"

It is still a plan that Shams disagrees with.

"And... ungh, and of the second time?"

Shams would have been more than happy to return the fav... Well, he would have were he not so paranoid and worried about getting caught, but Taj always took the lead with these things. From Taj's perspective, he was merely giving his prince a chance to be vulnerable for once.

"...But there won't be a first time," Taj says, pausing momentarily, finishing his statement from earlier. It somehow goes beyond Sham's notice, but it hasn't gone beyond Taj's – the prince relaxes a little after each of these encounters, for a short while, and that's why Taj is willing to take the risk. "In the unlikely event there is, I certainly won't allow for it to happen a second time."

They've always been careful with their relationship, and Taj is by far the most careful person that the prince of the Magedom knows. It's not a small country. Even inside of these castle walls, he knows of a great many people.

It still does not cease his worries.

"You put t-too much faith in..."

"In your father's high libido?" Taj finishes for him. Let him think that. Let Prince Shams be free of at least one fear, because Taj had no plans to let them get caught regardless.

"Exactly..."

He doubts his father would approve despite how many consorts he has, regardless of whether or not it's only an 'experiment'. Shams also doubts that he could make that lie, and somehow feels like he'd be heartbroken even if Taj did – it's not that he has no faith in Taj's lying ability, but rather that these are words he never wants to hear, even in the form of something that's meant to protect him.

"Don't worry about it," Taj replies simply.

"I... a-ah...!"

Taj refuses to let the prince worry anymore for now. The gentle caressing of his hand ceases, he lowers his head instead and refuses to let the prince speak anymore either, refuses even to let him _think_ of anything other than him and them and what's going on between them right now. It's clumsy and youthful but still so much better than the first attempt Taj had made, not that either of them would really know the difference, Shams suspects, and Shams would have been more than happy to someday return the fav... Well, he would have were he not so paranoid and worried about getting caught, but Taj always took the lead with these things. Quickly, his mind slips free of all thoughts but one, and... and...

From Taj's perspective, he is merely giving his prince a chance to be vulnerable for once.

**So many notes... I'll condense them as much as possible.**

** The last few paragraphs were extremely difficult to write and even edit. Might re-write them later. And for anyone who wants to nitpick the asexual comment... Oh, trust me, I know how people misunderstand what "asexual" means but it serves its intended purpose here. I'm not going to force political correctness on fictional characters and potentially derail a story even if I did just write my own pet peeve.**

** I write about these two sometimes while feeling stressed, looking for something more challenging than usual to write, etc., and it usually doesn't turn out for me. Shams and Taj have an intresting relationship. They protect each other in their own way. The game outright states that Taj "loves" Shams, though I feel that whether it's platonic or not is up to the player's interpretation.**

** I don't have any particular grasp on how their "romantic" relationship would work, and thus my writing style for it tends to waver a lot. Yes, it's late to be writing a story like this for an unpopular fandom, but if anyone else has their own ideas I would like to hear about them!**


End file.
